Ferryboat gate



Feb. 3, 1925.

' C. M. THACKSTON FERRYBOAT GATE 4 Filed Nov.

's sheets-sheet 1 A TTORNE YS.

Feb. 3, 1925.

.. C. M. THACKSTON- FERRYBOAT GATE Fud Nov. 11, 1922 3 sheets-sheet 2 IN VEN TOR stam cha/@SM T ATTORNEY 5.

Feb. 3, 1925.

C. M. THACKSTON FERRYBOAT GATE I 3% INVENTOR BY a/1&5 M T/zac/nsa/z I A TTORNE YS.

Patented Feb. 3, i925.

UNITED STATES CHARLES IVI. THCKSTON, OF MONTCLAR, NEW JERSEY.

FERRYBOAT GATE.

Application filed November 11, 1922. Serial No. 600,373,

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that l, CHARLES M. Timons'roN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Montclair, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Ferry boat Gates, of which the following is a speciiication.

One of the main objects of this invention is the provision of a gate for closing a ferry boat exit which will possess suificient strength to withstand the impact of an automobile or truck and prevent it from running overboard in case the driver should fail to cut off the power or lose control of the vehicle.

Further objects are the provision of a gate of this character which can be easily operated; and the provision of a gate structure so designed that it may be mounted upon a ferry boat with but very little alteration in the boat structure.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of an end of a ferry boat showing the gate structure mount- Y g ed thereon;

Fig. 2 a vertical section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking toward the inner side of the gate;

Fig. 3 aI horizontal section taken through one of the gate housings on the line 3 3 of Fig. 5, vone of the gate sections being shown in top plan;

Fig. 4 a detail vertical section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1.;

Fig. 5 a View of the inner side of one of the gate housings and of portions of the gate sections, parts being in section in order to show the gate locking means;

Fig.6 a vertical section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4; Y Fig/7 a horizontal section through the meeting ends of the two gate sections taken on the line 7-7 of F ig. 5;

Fig. 8 an end view of vone of the gate sections;

F ig. 9 a vertical section taken on the line 9 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 10 a vertical sectional view through the meeting ends of the gate sections showing the locking means released.

Referring to the parts by numerals, 1 designates the deck of a ferry boat and 2 the hull. The deck 1 overhangs the hull as at 3, this structure being common in ferry boa-ts. A pair of gate housings 4 are mounted upon the deck at opposite sides of the boat, near its end and adjacent the side edges of the deck. The outer ends 6 of the housings 4 are spaced apart sufhciently to provide an exit therebetween. The housings 4 take the place of the usual bulwarks and are preferably made of metal. The form of the housings is yoke-shape in cross section, as shown in Fig. 6, each of said housings comprising a top 7, spaced, downwardly diver-ging, inner and outer sides 8 and 9 respectively formed integral with the top, and `outturned flanges 10 formed at the lower edges of the sides. The fianges 10 are bolt-ed to the deck as at 11 to hold the housing securely in place. The housings 4 take the place of the usual bulwarks near the end of a ferry boat and are curved inV a manner substantially similar to said bulwarks. The curvature of the housing adapts it to receive and guide one of a pair of gate sections 12 and 13. A pair of arcuate tracks 14 are secured to the deck 1 and are countersunk therein. The tracks 14 extend from points near the inner ends of the housings, through the said housings midway between the sides 8 and 9 and outwardly to the center of the exit where the said tracks meet near the end of the deck.

Each of the gate sections 12 and 13 is preferably formed of metal and comprises a pair of spaced inner and outer arcuate plates or sheets 15 and 16 respectively. The plates 15 and 16 are held spaced apart at their upper edges by an arcuate channel-iron 17 and spaced apart intermediate their upper and lower edges by a pair of spaced, arcuate I-beams 18. The vertical edges of the plates 15 and 16 at the outer ends of the gate sections are bound by the channel-irons 19. The gate sections conform in curvature to the curvature of the tracks and the housings and the said gate sections are provided wit-h wheels or rollers 20 which run upon the tracks. The rollers 20 are moiuited in yokes 121 which are secured to the gate sections between theplates 15 and 16 and the said rollers have flanges 22 which run in grooves 23 formed in the tracks 14. ln order to assist the tracks 14 in guiding the movements of the gate sections and to hold the sections upright, the housings have rollers 24 mounted as at 25 upon the opposed inner walls of the housings and spaced along the length of the housings, the rollers upon the opposed Walls being directly opposite each other.

upper ends.

The rollers24 contact the opposite sides of the gate sections and serve to guide and support the gate sections. An additional supporting and guideroller 26is mounted upon the top of each gate section near the inner end of said sect-ion as at 27. The roller 26 rotates upon a vertical pivot and runs between a pair of guides 28, which are mounted upon the under side of the top 7 of the housing4. The guides 28 extend throughout practically the entire length of the housing.

A shaft 29 extends transversely through the end of the hull of the ferry boat and is adapted to be rotated by a motor 30-se cured to the under side of the deck. The shaft 29 rotates in sleeves 31 mounted in the sides of the hull, and the ends of the shaft, which extend -beyond the outerv sides of the hull, have bevel gears 32 keyed thereto. The gears 32 engage gears 33 which are fixed yto the lower ends ot a pair ot vertical shafts 34, the said gears being Vprotected by a vsuitable housing 35. The shafts 34 extend upwardly through the deck and into the. housings 4, near the outer or forward ends of the said housings, and the said shafts have gears 36 keyed thereto at their The gears project outwardly through-slots -in the inner sides of the housings and are protected by guards 37. An arcuate rack 38 is mounted upon the inner tace of the outer side plate 16 of each gate section. The rack 38 extends for most of the length of the gate section and is located between the -beams 18. The inner side plate 15 of each gate section is slotted directly opposite the rack 38, as at 39, in order to permit the cooperating gear 36 to project through and engage the rack.

From the foregoing it will be seen that when the motor 30, which may be controlled from any suitable point on the boat, is operated to rotate the shaft 29 in one direction the gate sections will be moved in unison through the gearing, just described, to their open position within the housings 4. l.When the motor rotates the shaft 29 in the reverse direct-ion the gate sections will be moved in unison outwardly from the housing and forwardly until their outer ends meet at the center of the exit.

ln order to prevent shocks in the opening and closing ot' the gate' sections, suitable cushioning means are provided. rl`he means for cushioning' the closing of the gate comprise a plurality oi compression springs 40 mounted upon abutments 41 lixed to the housings 4 near the outer ends thereot' and upon opposite sides of the gate sections. `When the outer ends of the gate sections approach near to eachi other in their closing movement, they springs 40 are compressed between the abutments 41 and abutments 42 carried by the inner ends of the gate sections thus causing a resistance the limit of their opening movement the springs 43 will be compressed between the plate 44 on the housing and a plate 45 on the inner end ot the gate sections.

`When the outer ends ot' the gate sections meet in the closing operation they are automati'cally locked together. The means or locking the gate sections together comprise a series of pivoted latches mounted upon each gate section, the latches upon one section being adapted to engage the other section and vice versa. rfhe latches are designated by 46 and are pivotally mounted as at 47 upon the ears 48 secured tothe inner sides of the end walls formed by the channel-irons 19. YEhe latches 46 extend outwardly through openings 49 in the end wall or' the gate section to which they are attached and through an opening 50 in the end wall of the other gate section, the latches being formed with shoulders 51 adapted to lock the two sections together. rlthelatches upon each gate section are. connected together rearwardly of their pivots by a vertical rod 52 which is adapted to slide through openings 53 in the beams 18. rlChe rods compel the latches to move in unison and the said latches are held in operative position by springs 54 connected to the upper ends ot the rods 52 and to the tops of the gate sections. The latches may be moved to unlocking position by pressing downwardly upon a stirrup 55 pivotally connected to the lower end ot one ot the rods 52. The stirrup 55 projects through an opening 5G in the lower edge of the plate 15, and a shoulder 57 is formed at one side ot the opening. lVhen it is desired to retain the latches in release position the stirrup 55 is depressed and swung to one side to engage the shoulder 57. Only one of the gate sections is provided with a stirrup 55, the latches on the other section being released indirectly by means of a small vein tically slidable rod 58 resting at its lower end on one of the stirrup operated latches and adapted to be moved upwardly thereby to engage the inwardly project-ing end of one oi. the latches ot the other gate section and rock it and its companion latches to release position. The outer ends ot the latches 46 are beveled to torni the cam edges 59. As the gate sections come together the cam edges 59 ride up upon the lower edges ot the openings 50 in the other gate sections and rock the latches against the tension oit the springs 54 to permit the locking ends of the latches to pass through the llO openings 50, after which the springs restore the latches to locking position.

1t will be obvious that a barrier constructed as the one shown and described will be capable or' resisting a powerful outwardly directed torce and thus capable ot holding automobiles and trucks and preventing them trom running overboard as frequently happens in case of loss ot control or failure to cut ed the power. The strength ot the barrier resides in the strength ot' the gate sections and the locking means and the strength ot' the housings and of the connections between the housings and the inner ends ot the gate sections. To add to the strength of the connections between the housings and the gate sections, an additional pair of rollers 24E is provided near the outer ends of the housings below the rollers 24. When the gate sections close together they are automatically locked rigidly together to form a rigid outwardly bowed barrier strongly connected at its ends to the housings il.

1 do not wish to be limited to the precise structure shown as it is possible to make many changes in the structure of the gate, and or the operating means without departing from the spirit of the invention.

1 claim:

l. A barrier for closing the eXit. of a terry boat comprising a pair of gate sections adapted to be moved longitudinally on arcuate paths to open or closed position, the said gate sections meeting at the center of the eXit in closed position, Ypowerdriven means for moving the gate sections to open or closed position, means for automatically locking the gate sections in closed position, means for cushioning the closing of the gate sections, and means for cushioning the opening of the gate sections.

2. A barrier for closing the e-Xit of a. ferry boat comprising a pair of arcuate rigid gate sections adapted when in open position to be disposed at opposite sides of the eXit and movable endwise forwardly and toward each other on arcuate paths to closed position with their outer ends together, means for automatically locking the said outer ends ot the gate sections rigidly together to form of said gate sections a rigid outwardly bowed barrier, a pair of arcuate housings Fixed to the Jferry boat adapted to receive the gato sections when the sections are in open position and adapted to support the said sections and to guide them in their movement, connect-ions between the said housings and the inner ends ot the gate sections adapted to resist a force tending to move the barrier outwardly, powerdriven means for opening and closing the gate sections, means within the housings tor cushioning the opening of the gate sections and means within the housings for cushioning the closing of the gate sections.

A barrier for closing the exit of a ferry boat comprising a rigid arcuate gate adapted to be moved end-wise on an arcuate path to closed position, a hollow arcuate sheet metal bulwark fixed to the ferry boat at one side or the exit and adapted to receive the gate when the gate is in its open position, power-driven means for opening and .closing the gate, anti-friction means within the bulwark for supporting the gate and guiding its movement, means within the bulwarlr for cushioning the closing of the gate, and means within the bulwark for cushioning the opening of the gate.

4f. A barrier for closing the exit of a ferry boat comprising a gate adapted to be moved longitudinally to open or closed position, a hollow bulwark Xed to the terry boat at one side of the eXit and adapted to receive and enclose the gate when the said gate is in its open position, power driven means for opening and closing the gate the said means being operatively connected to the gate. within the bulwark, and anti-friction means within the bulwark for supporting the gate and guiding it in its movement.

5. A barrier for closing the exit of a ferry boat comprising a pair of rigid arcuate gate sections adapted to be moved on arcuate paths to open or closed position, the said gate sections meeting at the center of the eXit in closed position, means at the meeting ends of the gate sections to lock them together and form of said sections a rigid outwardly bowed barrier, means connected to the inner ends of the barrier for resisting a force tending to move the barrier outwardly, and power driven means for moving the gate sections to open and closed position.

6. A barrier for closing the eXitof a terryboat comprising a pair of rigid arcuate gate sections adapted when in open position to be disposed at opposite sides of the eXit and movable endwise forwardly and toward each other on arcuate paths to closed position with their outer ends together, mea-ns for automatically locking the said outer ends together to form of the gate sections a rigid outwardly bowed barrier, the said locking means comprising a series of vertically spaced latches carried upon one of the gate sections and adapted to locking y engage the other gate section when the ends ot' the said gate sections meet, means for releasing the said latches in unison, and means connected to the inner ends of the barrier for resisting a force tending to move the barrier outwardly.

7. A barrier for closing the eXit of a ferry boat comprising a pair of rigid arcuate lnjate sections adapted to he moved to open and closed positions on arcuate paths, a pair of arcuate sheet metal housings fixed to the ferry boat and adapted to' receive the gate sections when the said sections are in their open posit-ions, the `said gate sections being hollow and formed with spaced arcuate sheet metal sides, an arcuate rack mounted upon one of the sheet metal sides Within each of said gate sections, the opposite sheet metal side of each gate section having. a slot therein opposite the said rack1 a power shaft extending trunsverseiy of the boat beneath the deck, a pair` of shafts adapted to he `rot-ated by said power shaft and extending upwardly there-from into the.

gate housings, `ggjeais fixed to theupwardly of the gate and engagingthe racks, where-V by the gate sections may he moved to open and closed position in unison upon rotation of the power shaft, and anti-friction means interposed between the inner sides oi' the housings and the gate sections for supporting and guiding-fthe gate sections.

in testimony whereof hereunto affix my signature.

CHARLES M. THACKSTON; 

